


Dramatic Irony

by OldBeginningNewEnding



Category: How to Train Your Dragon (Movies), Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Frostcup - Freeform, Gift to Just Call Me Endy on fanfiction.net, Hijack, M/M, old fic, repost from my fanfiction account
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-12
Updated: 2015-01-12
Packaged: 2018-03-07 06:32:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3164798
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OldBeginningNewEnding/pseuds/OldBeginningNewEnding
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>So what if this play was turning into a parody of a tragedy? So was high school. FrostCup/HiJack AU.</p><p>(or a high school rendition of Rome and Juliet with an all-male cast. Hiccup's [forced to be] Juliet so naturally, Jack signed up to be Romeo.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dramatic Irony

**Author's Note:**

> Dramedey snippets told in five short acts.
> 
> For Just Call Me Endy and for everything you've helped me with. Stay awesome.

* * *

Prologue:

" _Love is heavy and light, bright and dark, hot and cold, sick and healthy, asleep and awake— it's everything except what it is!"_

* * *

An irritated sigh left his lips, glaring eyes trained on the laughing figure on his bed. "This isn't funny, Jack." He rolled over on his stomach, burying his head on an adjacent pillow.

"Pfftt yeah it is." The mattress dipped near his side and a familiar weight of an arm settled on his back.

"Can you be a little more helpful?" the brunet pleaded, flushing slightly as the other's warmth pressed closer to him.

"Aww, don't worry Hiccup!" He pulled the boy close, giving his head an affectionate pat. "It won't be so bad."

" _BAD?!"_  Desperation couldn't even begin to describe the look on his face. "Jack—I don't see how this doesn't go into the category of ' _very_   _bad.'_ "

The other teen shrugged. "It's just a play."

"It's  _Romeo_   _and_   _Juliet_!" Hiccup clarified with grief. And when that evoked little to no reaction from the other teen, he then blurted, "AND I'M  _JULIET_!"

"So?" If looks could kill, Jack would be six feet under right now. But that did nothing to deter his playful smile as he sent a wink to the disgruntled boy. "I'll be your Romeo~"

The brunet scoffed, sitting up. "Like you'd audition."

"Already did," Jack replied smugly.

Hiccup let out a startled laugh; that was unexpected. "What?"

He caught his chin and Hiccup felt a blush creep onto his face as Jack forced him to meet his gaze. "Like I'd let some other guy kiss you," he declared, earnest and serious expression trailing a shiver down Hiccup's spine.

The brunet coughed and pulled from his grasp, willing the redness in his cheeks away. "Don't try to pull that possessive crap on me Jack, this is serious!" Too bad such a thing never really worked; he could still feel the heat on his face.

"And I seriously won't let some guy just waltz in and kiss you!" He scowled just thinking about it. "Even if it was for show, if anyone's smoochin' you on-stage, it's gonna be me."

There was a soft chuckle from the teen, the beginnings of a smile playing on his lips. "In some weird way, that was actually kinda sweet."

"I thought you'd say that…" The kiss that followed didn't entirely catch Hiccup off-guard; Jack's voice always got a little husky when he pulled a move like that. Made him feel suave or something. But those idle thoughts didn't stop Hiccup from enjoying the moment, tilting his head just so, and parting his lips to let Jack's eager tongue in to play. His head was getting dizzy, delightedly so, as his fingers tangled with his boyfriend's dyed strands, moaning as Jack nipped his lip and murmured, " _Sin from thy lips? O trespass sweetly urged! Give me my sin again."_

"You've been practicing…" His voice was a little breathy, but he'd forsake a bit more oxygen later when the other's mouth didn't feel so good against his own. And just as Jack requested, he complied, letting the other boy's fingers trail down to his sides before gripping his waist to hold him close. Hiccup pulled back with a gasp. " _You kiss by the book._ "

Hiccup would deny it, but that dangerous smirk on adorning Jack's lips did make his heart race a little bit faster. "So have you, my fair Juli—"

The loud clatter of a door banging open effectively ended the romantic atmosphere; furthermore, the loud "HICCUP!" that followed soon flooded the brunet with panic.

And it was about this time when Hiccup would shove Jack off his bed, just like clockwork every seven p.m., as his dad trudged up the stairs and knocked on the door to greet his boy after a long day.

"Son? I'm home!" And just like clockwork, there came Stoick Haddock's head, peeking through the door, baffled expression put at ease as he spotted his son shifting nervously about on his bed, red in the face, and pillow on his lap. Nothing out of the ordinary there.

"Ha-ha-hi dad!" Hiccup gave a weak smile, grateful for the vast amount of noise his father made to signal his arrival home. "Everything okay at work today?"

The man shrugged as he entered the room, appearing only slightly wearier than the hours before. "Better than I expected…all except for tha' meeting. Sharks, those brutes are…" he grumbled. He barely raised a brow as the sight of the white-haired teen sprawled on the floor, looking quite annoyed at his son perched on the bed. Again, nothing out the ordinary.

He approached the boy but it was only when Stoick cleared his throat that Jack leaped to his feet, appearing sheepish as he greeted the man. "Hey Mr. Haddock!"

"Ah, Jack. A pleasure as always." The teen seemed to grin nervously and from the corner of Stoick's eye, his son appeared to be sweating bullets. The man resisted the urge to sigh. Instead he employed his "diplomatic" tone, easing the tension in the room. "Will ye be joining us for dinner again?"

He was quite sure that his son was vehemently shaking his head, hoping that Jack would take the hint. Nevertheless, his answer was: "Sure! I'd love to!"

And if that resounding slap that Stoick presumed to be the sound of his son's palm meeting his forehead said anything, Jack thoroughly ignored the signal. So the father just smiled. "Good! We'll be havin' cod." He turned to the door and from an angle where they couldn't see him, he rolled his eyes. "See you boys down in a bit!" He wondered when they would stop being so awkward around him. Then again, he is Hiccup's father—and his son has always been rather shy. Ah well, Hiccup would ease up eventually. He closed the door and headed downstairs, dinner plans formulating in his head as he now had to prepare the dish for three instead.

"Well I dunno, I'd rather have  _Haddock_  right now…" He leered at Hiccup, but judging from the glower the younger teen was giving, the pun was not appreciated. "Aw, c'mon!" He grinned, trying to lighten the mood. "If anything, shouldn't I be mad at you?"

At that, the irritation simmered away and the brunet's shoulders fell into a defeated slump. "You know I love you…"

Well now. This was the exact opposite of what Jack was hoping for. He smiled softly and plopped on the mattress beside Hiccup and kissed his forehead soundly. "Yeah, I remember months trying to get those very words from that stubbornly sweet mouth of yours."

It wasn't often that Hiccup was the one to instigate a kiss, but when he did, Jack never let the opportunity slip. It was difficult enough the first few weeks of meeting him, knowing that he fell head-over-heels with a guy keen on blending in with the crowd and who obliviously questioned his motives when he wanted to spend some time with the sarcastic teen. And before, he didn't know why either, that is until maybe a week or two from their initial meeting that he found himself wondering what the other was thinking when he was lost in his own little world, wondering if it had something to do with the blonde girl with fierce blue eyes that occasionally talked to, and wondered why it bothered him and made him want to have his pretty green eyes for himself. However, Jack was fairly sure that he realized he was slightly more than just attracted to Hiccup when he recalled the very first thought that came to his mind upon their meeting in World Geography was whether kissing those soft-looking lips would effectively quiet the other teen.

Eventually, he found it as a favorable method for doing just that. It was also his preferred method of telling Hiccup he loves him.

And that was the big prologue and problem: a modern day fairytale of illicit romances and secret affairs; of drama (ironic or otherwise) and disaster; of frighteningly traditional parents and cruel Theater teachers; of a guy just trying to fit in and another guy who does anything but, and them in love.

But hey, it was high school.

* * *

Act 1:

" _Oh, I am fortune's fool!"_

* * *

The hallway was mostly empty when the expected welcome of "Good morning, sunshine!" reached Hiccup's ears. He glanced back and sure enough, it was Jack jogging his way over to walk the teen to his first class.

Hiccup tried to force a scowl, but the dread pooling at the pit of his stomach prevented any effectiveness. "Did you seriously try to sneak back in my room after dinner?" He gave Jack a pointed look. " _Again_?"

Most mornings usually started like that: sometime during the later hours, Jack would somehow gain access to Hiccup's room (he claims that having the brunet nearby helps him sleep easier) and spend the night, whether or not Hiccup was aware of the extra presence. Sometimes, like yesterday, his efforts came up short, resulting in a creepy joke-text to the brunet suggesting that he should open his window more often. Hiccup had long ago abandoned trying to get Jack to tell him how he managed to get inside when he was successful. He suspected his father let him in, like sheltering a stray, but the man never said anything to indicate so.

Jack slipped an arm over his shoulder, unfazed by the apparent gloom of the early hours. "Not like you would've complained, Mr. Cuddles."

Hiccup rolled his eyes. "I've told you before: I don't cuddle." Interestingly enough, he didn't pull away either.

"Not when you're awake," Jack teased with a secretive grin. He simply laughed as his companion shook his head. "So, anything going on today?"

The brunet sighed. "I'm gonna beg my teacher to let me out of that damn play."

Jack pouted, though the mirth in his eyes told Hiccup otherwise. "Aw, after all the trouble I went through to audition?"

Hiccup gave him a deadpan look. "Well think about it this way: if you don't get the part, we're both screwed."

"And not in the fun way…" Jack murmured before tightening his grip around the teen and announcing, "Okay, I'm coming with you then!"

There was a weak chuckle from the brunet. "Great, I'll need all the back-up I can get…"

And he wasn't kidding; Ms. Valencia N. Tine (secretly renown as "Cupid" to his contemporaries) was nothing short of a frightful woman with a ghastly temper and a glare that could pierce the soul through sheer terror. She was the Theater Arts teacher and headed every one of the school's productions, providing nothing but successful programs and plays—probably from the way she worked each of her staff and students to the bone. Her marvelous motif this year comprised of reincarnating the beloved works of Shakespeare, specifically of his famed tragedy,  _Romeo and Juliet_. To invigorate some of the authenticity to the play, she proposed a magnificently controversial scheme:

An all-boy cast.

This was a big shock for both the School Board and for the students. The former for…obvious reasons… but they relented, as it was an artful presentation and because her negotiating devices usually resulted in one or two grown men in the room crying. The latter… well, she wasn't known as  _"Cupid"_ for nothing. It was an urban legend of sorts that whoever she paired as the two main leads would fall in love on opening night and would be inseparable forevermore. Or something like that. At least the numerous wedding photos of former students in her office were (semi)solid proof of the rumors that surrounded her.

Many of the females in his grade were devastated to learn they wouldn't have a shot of being paired with their soul mate, but no agony could compare to that of Hiccup's as she announced bright and early last week in his first period Theater Arts class that he was to be Juliet.

The part of Romeo, however, still needed to be auditioned.

Now, Hiccup wasn't a superstitious guy. Jack  _could_ be, but that wasn't his main concern. Like most of the male population, he really didn't believe that their teacher was involved in anything supernatural (okay, well at least in terms pertaining to romance). No, his concern was his father waiting to see him on stage, expecting his son to be out there as a dashing Romeo, ever since he heard the  _wonderful_  news from Jack (that earned him a painful kick under the dining room table) that his boy was playing the main role…naturally, Stoick assumed it would be the  _male_  role his son would be playing instead of his counterpart as the coy and willful maiden, Juliet. To top it all off, Hiccup was well aware that his acting skills left a lot to be desired. This would not bode well… he hadn't even come out to his father about Jack yet and he'd be seeing his son out there in a dress and draw all the wrong conclusions! Well, mostly wrong. Plus, though he wouldn't voluntarily voice his agreement with Jack, thought of him lip-locking with another guy, even if it was just a play, made him shudder. And not in the good way.

Hence why he felt like he was about to engage in a Faustian bargain as he stood before the office of Valencia N. Tine.

He was about to knock when an airy voice broke through the tense air: "Yes Hamish, I know you're there—come in, dear."

A shiver raced down his back, despite the deceitfully delightful tone that crept out from the doorway. "How she does that, I will never know…" the teen muttered. He sighed and pushed through the doors, cautiously glancing around the room to see if the teacher had company. It appeared they were alone. "Uhm, hi Ms. Tine…I was wondering if I could speak to you about the play." A casual look to the wall revealed many a wedding photo and other romantic memorabilia that resulted from (as legends have it) her instigation. He sighed, something like mild terror seeping into his bones.

"Oh, hello there Jackson." The strict look in the woman's eyes seemed to have vanished as she sat in her chair with a pleasant smile on her face while she regarded her students. Jack gave a small wave but remained quiet. Then her carmine eyes were on Hiccup. "Yes, dear, what about it?"

If there was any time to display his anxiety just to showcase the evidence of his ineptness to partake in the school production, it would be now. "I-it's just uhm…don't you think that there are other gi—I mean _guys_  better…uh, suited for the role of Juliet?" He topped off the performance with a quivering grin as he twiddled his thumbs; this was not, however, an act.

A firm sigh left her lips and the brunet nearly flinched at the sudden about-face. She rested her hands on the desk and leaned forward. "Hamish, I know that you're nervous about this, but there's a reason why I chose you for this role."

"T-there is?" Hiccup was truly hoping there wasn't.

"Hamish, you're a marvelous student with a wonderful brain," she began. And it was true—the brunet was at the top of their class and was recognized by many of his teachers for his ingenuity and insight. The kind compliment was promptly derailed, however, as her tone dropped an octave. "Your acting skills however…need some refining."

This was his chance! "Exactly! Which is why—"

"I'll be training you to be our Juliet," she finished. And that ever-stern look on her face was back—the same one that silenced raucous rooms with a single frown.

Horror tightened in his gut at her admission. "Wai—what?"

She removed her glasses, almost in a show of sympathy; the callous glare from the office lights no longer detracted from human emotion. "Hamish, your current grade in my class is a seventy-nine." He wasn't sure it was possible at first, but Hiccup's dread somehow doubled. "Now I know how important your grades are to you and you want that All A-Honor Roll, correct?"

"Well, yeah! Of course! But…isn't there any other way?" He nearly pleaded, got down on his knees and begged; she never posted grades until the end of the semester—he did his work, but when it came to acting in front of a crowd, even just his class, something more than humiliation and trepidation tangled his tongue and stole his thoughts, leaving nothing short of a disaster as a result. But a  _C_? His dad would kill him. And he was disappointed in himself.

It wasn't quite pity that was prevalent in her tone, but it was very close. "My dear, I could assign you extra credit through grunt work for the play and grading stacks and stacks of papers for me, but I wouldn't be a very good teacher at all if I just did that, now would I?" She crossed her arms and silently demanded Hiccup's gaze to meet hers. He reluctantly obeyed. "This production will count as your only major project grade, seventy percent of your overall average. If you do well, and I do grade by effort, this could bring your score up to an A."

"I…see," he replied numbly.

Her eyes softened, a flicker of understanding that glowed behind the flecks of light from the fluorescent bulbs above. "Hiccup—is it okay if I call you that?" The boy sullenly nodded. "Hiccup, don't be afraid of what others will think. You can either refuse and I'll have no choice but to fail you, you can be a bad Juliet and let yourself down…" She offered him a small smile." Or you can give it a try and see what happens…you just might surprise yourself once you take pride in your role."

The teen's shoulders slumped, a dry chuckle leaving his lips. "Give it a try, huh…" Funny; those were the exact words Jack told him that rainy afternoon in his house when he found himself trapped between the plaster of his bedroom wall and Jack, a strange light in those blue eyes and pale lips hovering close to his before the younger teen took a leap of faith, closed his eyes, and let something impossible spark in his veins as the air between them was smothered by a kiss.

Ms. Tine clasped her hands in elation. "A grand choice, Hiccup!"

His eyes widened, jaw slack. "Wh-what?" Hiccup honestly didn't remember saying yes.

"High school may be just a time for assignments and preparation for who-knows-what in the future, but it's also a time for taking chances, self-discovery, and grazing the very fringes of love and life with your fingertips!" She gasped with excitement, the atmosphere stirring with her words while her students glanced at one another with bewildered faces. She turned to them, a dreamy look in her eyes. "Remember: practice starts after school!" she recited cheerily. The woman paused for a moment and then those red eyes zeroed in on Jack. "Oh…and that goes to you too, Mr. Overland."

Said teen seemed lost for a moment before an unsure "Huh?" tumbled from his lips.

She reached over her desk and Jack felt like he should have feared for his life when she lunged forward, but she seemed to have good intentions as she took his hand and shook it vigorously, a proud smile adorning her lips. "Congratulations, dear boy! You've won the part!"

It took a second for the enthusiasm to catch on, but Jack did not disappoint as a wide grin stretched from ear to ear and blue eyes lit up with delight and gratitude. "Awesome! Thanks Ms. Tine!" As she withdrew her hand, Jack then wrapped his arm around the shocked brunet, drawing him close, a smirk substituting his smile. "Looks like you've got yourself a Romeo." Hiccup was quite sure his ears were turning red at this point, especially when the other boy's hand gave his hip a noticeable squeeze. "Ms. Tine, can we work on the kissing scenes first?" he quipped.

Hiccup almost groaned. " _Jack_!" If his mortification levels rose any higher, Hiccup might've suffered an anxiety attack.

"In due time, Jackson," she replied with a wave. "Oh, and Hiccup, I scheduled your dress-fitting next Tuesday after school. Would that be fine?"

Okay, so they rose just a bit higher now; he seemed to be still holding on. "…yeah…sure," he croaked.

Jack seemed to trail his eyes over Hiccup's smaller frame before asking his teacher in complete earnestness, "…Can I come for that too?"

Hiccup was sure Jack was trying to kill him.

* * *

Act 2:

" _Under love's heavy burden do I sink."_

* * *

Jack opened the door and wasn't at all surprised to see Hiccup resting against the wall. He gave the quiet boy a tired smile and joined him, shoulder to shoulder on the floor and gazed at nothing in particular. The door closed shut and he took the brunet's hand, feeling the cold sweat still sticking to his skin; he didn't mind. "Sometimes, I wonder what goes through that head of yours." He sighed, but not a disappointed one, nor a sad one. He just breathed out and kept close to the shivering teen.

Hiccup glanced to his side and swallowed thickly. If Jack knew, the teen would only sink further into shame and guilt. They had been rehearsing, and just as Jack had anticipated weeks before, the time came for the first kiss of the lead pair. Of course, kissing Jack had become second-nature to Hiccup, a wonderful and intimate expression of his affection and adoration for the older teen. But it was different behind closed doors, in empty hallways and quiet houses. In class? In front of a group of snickering and wolf-whistling peers while Ms. Tine directed lines and quieted the rowdiest of the bunch? Of course Hiccup couldn't do it. He froze, just like he always did, and his feet aptly refused to move from their spot, even at Jack's gentle goading. Eventually, Jack had enough and leaned towards Hiccup to deliver the act when the brunet heartlessly pushed him away and walked off stage, trembling and clammy as the voices around him swirled like hurricanes while the image of the hurt in Jack's eyes never faded from his vision. He came into the prop closet to calm down and take deep breaths, the stale air of dust, cardboard, and plastic mingling in his thoughts as he overheard Ms. Tine lose her patience. Even from there, after she effectively dismissed the crowd, he could hear her voice lightly consoling Jack, telling him that the kiss could very well be staged if Hiccup absolutely couldn't kiss him; after all, they were "actors" for a reason.

He laid his head on Jack's shoulder, thankful that the other teen didn't brush him off. Softly, almost as though hoping the words would float off into the air without the other's attention to catch them, he spoke his mind: "…Do you ever get mad at me?"

Instead of answering right away, Jack wound his arm over the teen's small shoulders first. "Mad? About what?"

It was strange how forgiving he was. "About all  _this_ …and that I haven't told dad."

Jack pressed a soft kiss to the crown of his head, holding him closer. "Hm…no, but I won't lie, it does bother me." It was half an embrace, Hiccup realized. It was a familiar gesture, but the meaning behind it was different. "Like how it bothers me that you don't hold my hand during school, or like when it's nearly impossible to weasel a kiss out of you in broad daylight, or like when we go out on dates and someone from school sees us and you say ' _we're_   _just_ _hanging out'—"_

"Okay, okay! I get it…I'm a coward." He felt like crawling into a hole where light can never touch him. He didn't feel like he was exaggerating either. "And I'm sorry…and I don't deserve you…" Sometimes, those were the only thoughts that swam through his head; it really was fortunate that Jack didn't know what was going on in there.

Jack scoffed. "Nah; you're awkward and shy, not very confident and think way too much into things, inexperienced, and sometimes you just try too hard." Hiccup was giving him a crumpled look, waiting for the bright side to this conversation. Jack snickered. "But not a coward," he finally said. "And that's okay." He gave a soft kiss to the tip of Hiccup's nose before staying true to his nickname "Jack Frost." Hiccup didn't mind the sharp nip this time. "It's okay because I  _like_  how you're you when we're alone, how I know that it isn't you that you're trying to protect, how you laugh a lot more when no one else is around, and how you still get that embarrassed little blush of yours when all we do is cuddle in your room when your dad's not home." He brushed his lips against a freckled cheek, adoring how a blush bloomed from his touch. "And I  _really_  like how you get into it when we do more than that." He pulled away, watching with amusement as irate eyes glared at him. And then his gaze softened. "But I  _love_  you, I really do, and you deserve someone that does, don't you?"

"Yeah…" he admitted.

"And I know you're trying, but hey, who's counting the days?" It wasn't a subject they liked to talk about often; Hiccup, in his own way, did try to be more open, but both he and Jack knew they had a long way to go. "I may not like being a secret to you, but that's not going to change how I feel." He sealed the promise with a kiss, brief and chaste, warm and loving.

When it ended far too early for Hiccup's liking, he could only breathe out a hushed, "I'm sorry…"

"I can't say ' _it's okay'_ , but I can say ' _we're going to be okay_.'" He pulled the teen close and completed the embrace, enjoying how he could feel Hiccup's heart flutter like a bird against his chest. "Like I said, I may not like it, but I love you." There was one last kiss to his lips. "So get it outta your head right now. You'll say what needs to be said when the time comes."

And Jack swore his heart stopped when Hiccup pulled back, eyes meeting his, devotion and ardor luminous in those hues of viridian. " _My bounty is as boundless as the sea, my love as deep; the more I give to thee, the more I have, for both are infinite_."

Jack didn't need a mirror to know he was giving Hiccup a dopey, love-struck smile right now. "See? I told you so."

And after something like that, how could he not reach in for another kiss? Petal-soft and bittersweet, unhurried in their actions, an exchange of mutual emotions without the need for words as love passed from mouth to mouth. It wasn't zealous or hormone-driven, tainting their actions—there was something else underlying the chemicals, the brainwaves, and the nerves, something that was only found in written little tales and poetry of romance and magic—the closest resemblance to it that they could reach for and grasp in their world.

A moment or two later after they pulled away and seeing that Hiccup calmed down, Jack decided it was a safe time to ask. "Did that all start because of the play?"

Hiccup shook his head. "No…I've been thinking about that for a while now."

"It's just a play, Hiccup." And though Hiccup wanted to object, he remained mute as Jack got to his feet and held out a hand for the brunet to take. "I doubt anyone will take it seriously."

He accepted the help, wincing when he realized his foot had fallen asleep. "Then why'd you?"

Jack rolled his eyes. "Because as I said before, as your boyfriend, I take the possibility of someone else kissing you  _very_  seriously."

Yet another impromptu appearance ruined the atmosphere as the door opened with an intruding presence. "Wha—there you two are!" Hiccup congratulated himself for not starting; although that may had more to do with the fact his leg was completely numb. Finnegan "Fishlegs" Ingerman raised a brow at the pair, but said nothing concerning their current state as he stood by the entrance. "We've been looking for you guys everywhere! Jack, you and Guy have to be on stage right now! Ms. Tine's going berserk!"

Jack paled. "Oh, crap—ah…what scene is this again?"

"Act 3, Scene 1, where Tybalt gets killed," he explained.

"Oh, so I get to stab Dagur? Cool!—and ironic." He laughed at his own little pun and gave a quick wave to the brunet. "Later, Hiccup!"

"Later," he replied, still trying to recover some feeling back into his flesh. He didn't even want to look at what was happening out there as Ms. Tine seemed to have fallen back to her old draconic ways of student instructing. Jumping ahead two whole acts? It seemed she really just wanted to see some imaginary blood spilled.

"So…" The blond coughed to hide a chuckle. "What were you two doing in prop room?  _As_ Juliet's nursemaid, I have to know."

"…Calculus," Hiccup replied lamely, not even bothering to think of an elaborate lie as he limped out of the closet.

Fishlegs raised a brow but only cast his gaze to the side as Hiccup exited the doorway. The smartest kid in school…could be really transparent at times.

* * *

Act 3:

" _Some grief shows much of love, but much of grief shows still some want of wit."_

* * *

There was a soft knock on wood and it wasn't just Hiccup praying for luck as he entered his father's office. "Dad?"

The man looked up from his paperwork, surprise apparent in his eyes. "Yes, son?" It wasn't too often that Hiccup came to find him.

"Uhm…can we talk? About the play?" Hiccup nervously shifted on his feet, only sitting down when his father indicated to the chair across his desk.

"Oh, when was it again?" Hiccup shot him a dry look that got the man chuckling. "I'm jus' kidding—I already bough' a ticket!" He fished out the evidence from his desk, proudly displaying the words "Row 1" printed on the bottom.

Hiccup gulped, feeling his stomach drop. "Really…"

"Yep! Gobber wants ta come too so expect ta see us in the crowd! We can hardly wait; we know you've been practicin' for months now." Oh God…his dad was excited. Very excited. This just multiplied his problems tenfold.

"Uhm yeah…dad?" There were many things he could say right now: the play was cancelled on account of one of the lead actors falling mysteriously ill;  _he_  was falling mysteriously ill; his teacher was arrested for working a student to death; the health department discovered a large infestation of roaches and rats in the auditorium and condemned the area as a safety hazard; the end of the world was coming; a rampant dragon burned the school to the ground while the students danced atop its ashes—okay, none of those things he could actually say to his father. So, he might as well come clean.

Stoick frowned; it wasn't like his boy to be at a total loss for words. "What is it, son?"

Hesitantly meeting his father's eyes, he murmured, "Can…I ask for your advice?" Because Jack was a lot more important than trying to convince his father to get out of seeing a travesty of a Shakespearean drama.

The request seemed to have shocked the man, but not in an entirely unpleasant way. "Su—sure! Tha's wha' I'm here for!" He scooted forward as close as he could; it was  _especially_  rare for Hiccup to seek his opinion.

Hiccup took a deep breath. "Okay…dad…if you've…really, and I mean,  _really_ , messed up…and hurt someone you cared about…but you're scared of making things right…because  _so_  many things could go wrong and there's no way of you knowing what'll come out of it…" Hiccup released a shaky gasp and looked to his father, nearly cringing. "What do you do?"

"Do the righ' thing, o' course," his father replied simply. He actually seemed a bit disappointed that the solution was so easy.

Hiccup blanched at his effortless answer. "But it's not that easy! Something  _right_  can be  _wrong_  to someone else—"

"Son,  _nothing_  ever worth doin' was easy." He sat back and shrugged. "But you go' a point; wha's right for you may be wrong to some, but that shouldn't stop you from goin' after wha' ya believe in."

Hiccup blinked. That…actually made him feel a lot better. But still—"…this is coming from you?" His eyes widened  _Oh. Shit_. Did he say that out loud?

"Hah!" Hiccup nearly flopped down in relief when the object of his eternal gratitude burst through the doors unannounced. "Where d'ya think ya got your stubborn-streak from?"

"Yeah you have a point…" Hiccup grinned, nodding a greeting to his father's longtime friend.

Stoick rolled his eyes. "Gobber. Excellent timing, as always."

"Jus' came by with the new plans," he explained, waving the documents as evidence. "This time, they're fool-proof!"

Hiccup didn't miss the way his father breathed an exasperated sigh. "Oh? Like  _last_  time?" He took the papers from the man and laid them out on the desk, giving them a quick once-over before setting the pile aside for later.

"Ah, details." Gobber waved the words away like an annoying gnat. He grinned down at the teen, his large hand clasping uncomfortably on the boy's shoulder. "So, Hiccup…can' wait ta see the play! Ah…Shakespeare's always been one o' mah favorites." Hiccup was actually taken aback; who knew Gobber was a closet romantic? The man leaned in eagerly. "It's  _Macbeth_ , righ'?"

And that explained everything. "No, Gobber…it's  _Romeo and Juliet._ "

"Ah." He stood awkwardly for a second before shrugging. "Well poison and daggers are jus' as good too."

Hiccup chuckled, somehow feeling slightly more at ease. "Glad to hear it."

"Yes, yes, we're all very excited." Stoick's attention once more turned to Hiccup, a gentle fondness in his eyes. "Just remember son—do wha's right. Even when others think it's not." Although he couldn't see it, he knew his dad was grinning under that huge beard of his and Hiccup felt some of the weight lift from his shoulders. And it wasn't just because Gobber finally took his hand off of it. "You've go' enough sense ta know what to do from there." No, he was sure it was from the way his dad just smiled and trusted him to do exactly what he needed to.

He nodded, beaming a little. "Thanks dad."

* * *

Act 4:

" _Did my heart love till now? forswear it, sight! For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night."_

* * *

"Did you see your dad out there?"

He was startled from his thoughts but his nerves seemed to have frozen the appropriate reaction. "Gee, the robust man with the red beard? I bet that's him in the front row beside the other robust man with the blond beard."

Jack chuckled, leaning against the base of the prop balcony. "Do you always combat stage fright with sarcasm?"

"It's a defense mechanism," he confessed. And upon looking at what the other teen was doing he promptly pulled Jack away from scene with an irritated sigh. "And stop that—that thing's not exactly stable, you know." The last thing Ms. Tine wants is an injury on opening night. It would ruin the show.

"Yeah, I remember it collapsing a couple of times when you were on it." It was wonderful how his loving boyfriend seemed more amused by the memory than concerned. He walked to the edge of the stage, carefully peeking behind a crimson curtain fold. "Hey, my mom and sister are over there too—right beside your dad."

Hiccup joined him, picking up his dress as he adjusted to the feel of the heavy skirt and tight corset. Don't even get him  _started_  about the itchy wig. From their vantage point, sure enough, he could see his father, dressed in a formal suit, and Gobber, seeming to dread the long night ahead. But his father's attention wasn't on his longtime friend. "Oh…looks like they're talking."

"Yeah…" Jack wondered if his mom knew that the rather intimidating man she was conversing with was the father of the boy he had been fawning to her about for almost a year now. "It'll be starting soon…" he murmured and for the first time, the nauseatingly fluttery feeling of butterflies flocked in his stomach.

"Mhm…" Hiccup felt sick again, that queasy feeling that made his breath shorten, his head light, and his legs wobble like jelly. But he'd persevere. Because everything had to be  _perfect_  tonight. It just had to."Jack?" Shaky fingers grasped his silken sleeve.

"Yeah?" He was mildly surprised as Hiccup took his hand and in one tender moment, entwined their fingers. It must've shown on his face.

Because "I love you," was Hiccup's only explanation.

Jack didn't know if that made the feeling calm or intensify; still, it left him smiling, if not a bit bewildered by the sudden but pleasant declaration. "I love you too." Yeah, it definitely made it worse because the fluttering butterflies turned into rampant pterodactyls at the sight of the brunet's sweet smile. But that was okay. "Oh, and you look great by the way," he flattered with a sly grin.

What? He did.

Hiccup rolled his eyes, perfectly aware of the splotch of red budding on his cheeks. "Like you can say anything, Mr. Leotard." His hand still hadn't let go yet.

As per usual, a splash of noise effectively ended their moment. "Hiccup! There you are!" Ms. Tine called as she ran across the stage, a cup in her grasp and something sloshing about inside it. Discreetly, Jack withdrew his hand and Hiccup wondered if that disappointment was what Jack felt every time he did the exact same thing. "You haven't taken your Stage Syrup!" she scolded.

Hiccup made a face of revulsion and despair. "Ugh..."

"Here," she instructed, shoving the cup of viscous ruby liquid in his hands. "I want you to drink this before and after each act."

Jack peered curiously into the glass, a noxious sort of mixture within, and frowned as the unpleasant smell wafted to his nose. "What's that for?"

"For his voice, silly!" She straightened her dress as she began the lecture. "The role of Juliet was traditionally performed by prepubescent males. And, well, Hiccup's past that phase already and the School Board wouldn't allow me to bring one in…this formula, however, should give us the right tone we need for a believable Juliet!" She smiled cheerily and Jack grew more and more concerned for his boyfriend and more and more fearful of his teacher by the second. She actually  _asked_  to bring in a little kid? Ms. Tine turned to her other lead actor, rubbing his back as Hiccup bravely downed the sinister potion. "How're you holding up, dear?"

"It's… _augh_ —terrible…" he chocked, barely holding on to his stomach contents as the thick syrup coated his throat and dribbled all the way to gut.

"Good! That means it's working." She clapped merrily and gave Jack a hearty smile. "I swear, that concoction does miracles…you'll hardly recognize him tonight!"

"O-okay then?" he replied nervously as he kept a worried watch from the corner of his eye as Hiccup coughed harshly.

The teacher took a breath before she corralled the Prologue's troops together. "Okay…places everyone!"

"She's…nicer this year," Jack whispered, patting Hiccup's corseted back. "And peppier."

"New… _ughh_ …teaching approach," Hiccup wheezed, voice sounding strangely feminine. "Or they'll file another lawsuit."

Wow. "That's taking 'kill 'em with kindness' to a whole 'nother level…" Jack muttered. Hiccup could only nod his head in reply.

.

Somehow, through the mess of lines and scenes acted out over and over again in his head, Hiccup was bewildered to find himself there on stage with Jack…for the dreaded Act 1, Scene 5.  _"If I profane with my unworthiest hand. This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this: My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand to smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss,"_  Jack declaimed, an unsteady strain in his voice.

Hiccup gulped and with trembling words, began.  _"G-good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much, Which mannerly devotion shows in this; For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch, And palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss."_  Ugh. He sounded so strange and the words left like chalk on his tongue.

" _Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?"_  Jack was closer to him now, his hand still in the other's hold.

" _Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer."_ A bitter part of Hiccup realized that at least the whole school saw them holding hands now.

There was timid look in Jack's eyes and Hiccup came to the pivotal revelation that Jack was  _nervous._   _"O then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do: They pray; grant thou, lest faith turn to despair."_

" _Saints do not move, though gra—_ a _nt for prayers' sake."_  Oh god, his voice was cracking. He knew he shouldn't have taken the syrup so early. Or maybe it was because this was the most frightening thing he ever had to do…and the most important as well.

Jack's movements were unsure, his tone not quite reaching his eyes. There was a certain amount of fear for this moment, and they both felt it.  _"Then move not, while my prayer's effect I take,"_ Jack recited hollowly. And that was why Hiccup had to take this chance.

This wasn't what they rehearsed; this wasn't what was planned; and this definitely wasn't what Shakespeare had in mind. Months ago, they had agreed to stage the kiss and months ago, Hiccup hadn't dared to say anything different. But this was now, and this was Jack slowly losing his cool and this was Hiccup, who had enough of secrets and who had enough of seeing the guy he loves hurt. So when Jack moved to place his hand on Hiccup's cheek and a thumb on his lips, Hiccup caught it and grasped his fingers gently. He looked confused but Hiccup knew that Jack was sure the brunet wouldn't follow through with the act.

And he was right.

Because this wasn't an act—from the way he dropped their entwined hands and leaned in close, he made sure everyone saw it as just that—a kiss. An actual kiss. A kiss that sang volumes of love and genuine devotion, anxiety sinking beneath adoration, and so what if this wonderful feeling happened in a span of moments, a span of months? It was beautiful, breathtakingly so, and Hiccup really hoped that he conveyed just that as he pulled away, love still lingering on his lips, and bliss swimming in his eyes.

At least he was sure Jack got the message.

He really did look handsome like that, a faint pink on his cheeks illuminated by the spotlight, smiling warmly as he recited his next line, as natural as breathing.  _"Thus from my lips, by thine, my sin is purged_."

Hiccup gave a shaky laugh, bashful and tempting in Jack's eyes.  _"Then have my lips the sin that they have took."_

Because Hiccup was his Juliet, and Shakespeare really knew what he was doing when he had Romeo reply,  _"Sin from thy lips? O trespass sweetly urged! Give me my sin again."_

Their lips met in that same familiar embrace, their minds lost on the cheers from the audience, as the lights and colors of the theater fell away like shooting stars on a magical Verona night, a timeless love consummated.

.

It was getting a bit out of hand…just a bit.  _"Oh, here will I set up my everlasting rest, and shake the yoke of inauspicious stars from this world-wearied flesh. Eyes, look your last. Arms, take your last embrace. And, lips, O you the doors of breath, seal with a righteous kiss a dateless bargain to engrossing death."_

Because Hiccup was fairly sure Romeo kissing Juliet like well… _that_  when he was supposed to think she was dead wasn't exactly right. Oh well…it felt really nice…such a shame he couldn't kiss back—okay, bad thoughts, bad thoughts. He needed to lie still. Oh good, Jack took out the poison.

" _Come, bitter conduct, come, unsavory guide. Thou desperate pilot, now at once run on the dashing rocks thy seasick, weary bark. Here's to my love!"_ In one dramatic swoop, he downed the drink, eyes widening, and nearly gagging at the vile taste; the brunet nearly snickered. His teacher did well by utilizing the Stage Syrup for more than just Juliet's voice. " _O true apothecary, thy drugs are quick,"_ he rasped; if Hiccup didn't know any better, he would actually be concerned of the liquid's contents. " _Thus with a kiss I die."_

The brunet was fairly sure that it was just Jack's great acting that made the act of dying so believable. Fairly sure.

_._

Finally; it was his last act. Hiccup glared at the prop thoughtfully, anguish in his eyes. He was not overstating his emotions this however; theater was definitely  _not_  his thing.  _"Yea, noise? Then I'll be brief. O happy dagger, This is thy sheath."_  Okay, time to make this lovers' suicide believable. _"There rust and let me die_." He gasped in pain, nearly tearing up at the impact.

The retractable blade was blunt, but the plastic dagger still hurt as it jabbed into his ribs, the overused prop probably jammed. Again. Oh well, the fake blood tricking down and staining his dress made for a nice touch.

The generations to come at Dreamworks High School better appreciate this.

* * *

Act 5:

" _Love goes toward love."_

* * *

After the burst of applause and darkness swallowed the stage as the curtain fell, there was a mass of confusion and a haze of voices and movements while Hiccup tried to steady the world again as the theater's magic drained away to flickers of color and slivers of iambic pentameter in his mind. Somewhere along the way of trying to recover fact from fiction, reality from dream, and romance from tragedy, he was separated from Jack amid the confusion and it wasn't until a hand plucked him from the sea of faces his vision drowned in and crushed him in an embrace that the trance was dispelled.

"Oh, that was simply  _marvelous_  Hiccup!" Ms. Tine praised sincerely. She pulled back, teared up a bit, and hugged him again. "You did Shakespeare proud."

"Ah, thanks, Ms. Tine," he gasped, startled as to how such a lithe woman could rival his own father's fatal hugs. It also seemed as though the effects of her Stage Syrup wore off.

"You see? You make a  _fine_  Juliet," she reaffirmed as she gestured to his entirety.

" _I'll_  say…" Oh, there's Jack. Hiccup laughed nervously, hoping that his teacher overlooked the obvious leer from 'Romeo.'

"And a deserving A-Honor Roll Student!" she cheered. Hiccup breathed a sigh of relief, but not entirely due to having been successful in saving his grade. Ms. Tine turned to her other star performer, a congratulatory hug due. "Ah, Jackson! You acted excellently as well!" Her smile, however, seemed just a  _tad_  bit strained after she drew back. "Though, dear, I will have to dock points off for your share of the performance."

"Huh?" Jack blinked. "Why?"

Hands on her hips, she presented the mildest critique she could muster: "There are only three kissing scenes in the entire play. You kissed our fair Juliet nearly  _every_  scene you were together." She frowned deeply. "And I'm fairly sure it wasn't appropriate to for Romeo to 'make out' with what he believed to be his lover's corpse."

That was a very interesting shade of red Jack just turned. "Oh…haha…sorry, I got…carried away." Hiccup was sure he was wearing a similar color too as Jack shot him a sheepish grin.

Ms. Tine sighed before smiling brightly once more; Hiccup wondered how long it would be before her cheeks started aching from the strain. "Ah, it's no real matter. There was so much passion between you two! The audience adored it!" Jack snickered; he heard many-a cat call from the female portion of their audience and quite a few enthusiastic guys after his balcony stunt; he was sure  _they_  got a kick out of it. He knew he did, and so did Hiccup. "Oh, speaking of which—" The brunet turned and the sight that greeted him very nearly made him cower behind his teacher for protection. "Mr. Haddock, a pleasure to meet you," she welcomed. In retrospect, however, the Theater Arts teacher would probably turn him in anyways.

"And a good evening to you, Ms. Tine," Stoick greeted amiably.

Oh well; no time like the present to suck it up and come clean. "H-hi…dad." He winced as his father took a long look at him.

"Son…" Hiccup braced himself for the onslaught. And while doing so, he missed his dad's heartfelt grin. "Ya did great!"

Was this a surprise attack? "I-I did?" he gasped.

Stoick laughed and clapped the teen's back. "The performance was amazin'! Ya learned yer lines well!" He chuckled and glanced back at his companion. "Ya even kept Gobber entertained the whole night."

"Mostly because it was fun seein' ya—" Gobber was a smart enough man to reevaluate his next words as the Theater Arts teacher raised a brow. "Do so well as Juliet! How'd ya do it?"

A gaily laugh passed Ms Tine's lips as she took the man's arm. "Oh, sir it took  _months_  of preparation…" And promptly tugged him away, whispering, "I think they need a moment…"

"Gotcha," he murmured back. Then loudly, "So, have ya given any thoughts abou' a  _Macbeth_ adaptation?"

"Oh, a  _classic_!" she trilled as they walked off.

And then there were three. Hiccup sucked in a breath (and it was quite a difficult feat with a corset strangling his innards and a bruised rib) and decided that it was as good a time as any to set things right. "Uhm, dad, look I know that there are some…things I need to explain…but uh—Jack?"

And the teen was at his side at once. "Yeah?"

He took him by the hand and faced his father. "Okay…uh, dad, this is Jack." He laced their fingers together and prayed that his father would get the message.

Stoick seemed bewildered for a moment by the apprehension on his son's face and why Romeo looked torn between terrified and pleased. "We've met, son."

Hiccup shook his head. "No, uh, dad. This is Jack…my  _boyfriend_." He gave a second or two of silence before begrudgingly adding, "And…as you can see, Romeo to my…Juliet." It was corny but the situation called for it.

"Er…Hi, Mr. Haddock," Jack greeted tentatively.

Stoick gave them both a puzzled look. "…Again, we've me' before." He turned to his son and his perplexity gave way to worry; the teen looked out of sorts and as confused as he was. "Are ye all righ' Hiccup?"

"I—wai—wha? Y-you aren't freaking out?" Well, this didn't go according to plan at all. "Didn't you hear me?"

Stoick crossed his arms, mystified as ever by his boy's…increasingly erratic behavior. "Wha' are ye talkin' about?"

Hiccup groaned and ignored the chuckle from Jack. "I just introduced Jack…as my boyfriend. I kinda expected some sort of outburst, rampage, chaos, destruction… _castration_?" From the corner of his eye, he was inwardly satisfied at the look of horror on Jack's face at the last option.

"...why?" And suddenly, the realization dawned on him. "Ohhh…tha'." Hiccup nodded, still gawking at his father with disbelief. Stoick gave his son a strange look before continuing. "Hiccup, I've known ye two were together for quite some time now."

" _WHAT_?" The world must be ending; that could be the only reasonable explanation as to how this was happening. Soon, Hiccup would be whisked away by the unholy offspring of lightning and death itself, riding off to the Northern Lights.

"Wha' do ya mean, ' _what'_? I though' it was obvious!" Great. His father seemed more amused than concerned for his only child's sanity at this moment. "I mean, the boy comes ta our house as often as  _Gobber_ does _,_ spends  _a lot_ of time with you in your room… _alone,_ he—he's downstairs for breakfast earlier than you in the mornin'!" The man frowned, a little perplexed by that last tidbit. "And half the time, I don't even remember 'im sleepin' over!"

"Well neither do I…" the teen muttered, still a little shaken.

"Not to mention how ya  _both_  look when I walk into yer room with or withou' knocking. Did ya really think I wouldn't notice all tha'? I may be busy bu' I'm not ignorant." A deep laugh rumbled from his chest as he placed a hand over the brunet's shoulder, affection in his eyes. _"_ Listen son, I love you and I only want wha's best for you." And Hiccup was grateful for that. He really was. And then his father started laughing again. "But you call  _that_ keepin' a secret?" The brunet flushed red as his dad wiped a tear from his eye. "Ah...yer teacher was right…yer actin' did need a  _lot_  of work."

He was going to kill Jack if he dared to so much as even  _giggle_  right now. "W-well why didn't you say anything?" he whined. This could have saved him  _so_  much trouble…

His father could only shrug. "Again, I though' it was obvious that you two were datin'!" Then his face darkened as though a horrendous memory resurfaced as he took a long look at Jack. He shook his head and sighed. "Ugh…ta think I actually took Gobber's advice and left you alone with tha' boy as much as I did…"

Hiccup blinked, unsure of the sudden reversal. "Huh?"

And now his father stepped between them, a glare trained at Juliet's Romeo. The grim smile on his lips did nothing to soften the threatening gleam in his eyes. "Well, Jack. Now tha' Hiccup's…'broken the ice' so-to-speak about ya two datin'…I think it's time we had a little 'chat' about some o' those scenes from the play…"

Oh…Jack knew where  _this_ was going. "I—uhm, oh hey look, it's my mom!" He chuckled timidly; he had been anticipating for this day to come. Nevertheless, he was still unprepared for the confrontation. "Why don't I go get her first? Then we can all have a nice discussion…" Which is exactly why he fled.

Stoick, though pleased by the boy's panic, turned to his son with a weary look. "Please…tell me he's not tha'… _affectionate_  all the time."

Hiccup gulped. "N-no dad! He…kinda got carried away tonight." That might've been a slight lie…but tonight was about as  _affectionate_  as Jack got.

His father didn't seem all too convinced, but the man merely patted his back and smiled down at him. "Hmph. Well, now since you're more comfortable talkin' to me abou' yer personal relationships, how abou' we start fresh?" Hiccup paled; he knew where this was going. "Yer curfew's at ten—no later than tha', Jack'll need  _my_  permission to sleep over, your door can't be locked during said time, and though it goes without sayin'—if he hurts you, there's no where safe for 'im to hide." Oddly enough, that dangerous look in his father's eye calmed him down tremendously; it was nice seeing something familiar not aimed at him. "And if ya hurt him, you gotta fix yer own mistakes." Hiccup nodded; it wasn't too bad. Then again, he might've thought that too soon as his father seemed to think for a moment before snapping his fingers and gleefully added, "Oh, and no sex until yer married."

Hiccup hoped his palms slapped against his face hid that damn blush that crawled all the way to his neck. Did he  _really_ have to say that? "Those scenes really got you worried, didn't they…" he muttered.

The man was quite ready to justify his decision. "Every scene, Hiccup! The boy was all over you  _every_ scene!" As awful as it was, the beginnings of snicker threatened to burst from his mouth as his father gestured wildly with a panicked voice. "I'm pretty sure he wasn't supposed to climb tha' balcony ta kiss you either, if yer teacher's panic attack had anything' ta say abou' it!"

Oh yeah…  _that_. Truthfully, Hiccup thought it was rather romantic. He shook the thoughts from his head; enough getting swept away now. There had been enough of that tonight. "It's just…"

His father's voice softened. "Because ya did the righ' thing."

"Huh?" Well, that was perceptive; he really did underestimate his dad.

"You did the right thing. That's why he was like that…I know." Miraculously, Stoick sobered in a matter of seconds, ruffling his son's natural auburn hair, free from the itchy wig. "You made me proud, son—you always do. Don' forget tha'." Hiccup smiled, feeling for the first time in a long time that they established an actual connection. "Still, my rules stand." And that smile dropped to a grimace as his father looked over him and greeted jauntily, "Ah, Mrs. Overland!"

The brunet chuckled and slipped away so the adults could have their small-talk. He greeted Jack with a shy wave, catching sight of him with his little sister in tow.

Jack waved back and rounded the girl to the front. "Emma, you remember Hiccup."

"Ah, hi…" Hiccup was sure his face was red. He and Jack had just kissed— _numerous times—_ in front of the whole audience…which included his  _little sister._

But if the happy look in her eyes had anything to say about it, Emma didn't seem to mind one bit. "Hi Hiccup! Wow you look great as a girl!" she gushed, eyes absorbing the delicate details of his costume, mostly ignoring the dried fake blood. She grinned up at him. "And you really sounded like one too!"

"Thanks…I think…" he replied, a little unsure how to take that as a compliment. He ignored Jack's snickering.

Thankfully, his sister knew exactly what to say to stop her brother's rude behavior: "But you'll still be my  _brother_ -in-law when you and Jack get married, right?" Hiccup was pretty sure his face was that of pure mortification when she leaned in and whispered to him, "He talks about it  _a lot_ …"

Wow, now  _that_  was the most interesting shade of red Hiccup had ever seen on Jack's face. " _Emma…_ " her brother groaned.

The teen coughed. "I uhm…well yeah, I mean—"

"Of course! Beneath tha' dress is a  _man_!" Gobber chuckled noisily, slinging a heavy arm over the teen's shoulders. "And none can be manlier than a man donning silk!" Hiccup rolled his eyes, though was again thankful for the convenient distraction. "And  _I_   _dare do all that may become a man; who dares do more, is none_!" he recited dramatically.

" _Macbeth_ …should've figured," Hiccup drawled, slowly easing himself from the man's grip. He certainly learned a thing or two under Ms. Tine's tutelage.

Jack grinned and slipped his fingers between Hiccup's; everything felt right. "Well, looks like the family's all here."

"Yeah." He gave his hand a light squeeze, smiling back at him before it dropped to a frown as he quirked a brow at the commotion from the sidelines. "And there goes our teacher..."

It wasn't everyday that the police had to break up a fight between two grown adults at a high school play. It really did seem as though the friendly façade wound the string too tight before it snapped…and judging by the purpling bruise the size of a fist on Coach Bunnymund's face, Ms. Tine  _really_ snapped.

There was an awkward silence before Jack took it upon himself to steer the conversation away from the appalling scene. "You know, I thought Cupid was supposed to make the leads fall in love  _during_  the play."

Hiccup chuckled before stealing a quick kiss from Jack's lips. "I guess…in a way, she did, but at the same time, she tried something new." Her words from months before resurfaced and he couldn't recall hearing any that rang truer. "But…I guess high school's the place to learn that something new…doesn't always go as planned…" Against himself, he grinned alongside Jack; unfortunately for Ms. Tine, he was sure  _that_  fiasco would end in another lawsuit.

* * *

_Fin._

* * *

 

**Author's Note:**

> Wow I hate the ending.
> 
> Notes:
> 
> I read somewhere that "love at first sight" actually refers to infatuation within the first four hours of meeting someone…so I guess you can say Jack had that with Hiccup.
> 
> Yes, Stoick does let Jack into the house at night, but he comes in so late in the evening that even Jack was aware that the man wouldn't remember letting him inside in the morning. Late night=low inhibitions. Must run in the family, really.
> 
> In amateur plays, it is perfectly acceptable to stage a kiss. However, not with Ms. Tine. She wants it as professional as can be, even if she is working with high school students.
> 
> Act 1, Scene 5 was slightly skewed as Juliet was supposed to stand still while Romeo kissed her, as the metaphor goes with that he is a pilgrim wishing to purge his sin and Juliet is a saint, and with her kiss, he shall be purified. Well, Hiccup went into improv mode, something he's quite good at, and Jack followed his lead.
> 
> This "Cupid" character is actually closely tied to my "Cupid" in my story "I'll See It when I Believe It." They even share the same name: Val. N. Tine. They also share the same sort of "frenemy" relationship with Bunnymund.


End file.
